Dr. G. Wells & Dr. S. Madon, Psych. 280, Fall 2010
PSYCHOLOGY 280
Professors:
Offices:
Office phone:
e-mail:
Office hours:
Social Psychology -
First half of semester
Dr. Gary Wells
Second half of semester
Dr. Stephanie Madon
476 Science 1 Bldg.
W259 Lagomarcino Hall
515-294-6033
515-294-2932
glwells@iastate.edu
madon@iastate.edu
T & Th 1:55-2:10 (Curtiss 127) &
Th 3:30 – 5:00 (476 Science 1)
T & Th 1:55-2:10 (Curtiss 127) &
Th 3:30 – 5:00 (W259 Lago)
Course Assistants: Muniba Saleem Mon. 11-1; Tue. 11-12; Wed. 10-12
Chris Barlett Tue., Wed., & Thur. 3-4; Fri. 10-12
Contact your courses assistants at psy280@iastate.edu
Outside of the course assistants’ office hours, you can contact the COURSE INFORMATION
OFFICE: W004 LAGOMARCINO, 294-8065. The Course Information Office (CIO) is staffed by Graduate
Assistants who are prepared to deal with almost any question or problem that might arise about how
the course is run or your scores on WebCT. The CIO hours are Monday 9-1, Tuesday through
Thursday 9-4, and Friday 9-1.
Social psychology is an area in the discipline of scientific psychology that seeks to understand how
people feel, think, and behave in social situations. The professors in this class are social psychologists
who have conducted scientific studies and have published articles on a variety of topics in social
psychology. The first half of the course (through October 16th) will be covered by Dr. Wells and the
second half of the course (October 19 through the end of the semester) will be covered by Dr. Madon.
Required textbook: Social Psychology, Custom Edition for Iowa State University, 2010, by Aronson,
Wilson, & Akert. Be sure that you get this custom edition of the textbook. This edition includes
readings from Current Directions in Social Psychology in the back of the text.
Course note packets: Course notes are available on WebCT. You should print these and bring them to
class for taking notes. WebCT: http://www.celt.iastate.edu/webct/
Exams: There will be four exams, each comprised of 50 multiple-choice questions and 2 short-answer
questions. Each exam will include at least 15 multiple-choice items and one short-answer item that are not in
either of the books but instead will come from lecture material. The fourth exam is not comprehensive and
must be taken on the exam date by all students. All exams, except exam 4, are held in the evening (6:307:45 p.m.). See exam schedule on page 2 of this syllabus for exam dates. Bring photo identification and softlead pencil to each exam. An exam that is missed for any reason will require the student to take a
comprehensive final exam immediately following the regularly-scheduled fourth exam.
Pop quizzes: There will be three pop quizzes prior to each exam for a total of 12 such quizzes. Each quiz
will involve two short multiple choice questions, one from lecture and one from the textbook. The purpose of
these quizzes is to reward those who are attending class and reading the assigned chapter(s) before they
come to class. These quizzes will be closed book but you will be able to discuss your answers with those
around you. The goal of discussion is to allow you to learn from and interact with the other students in the
class. You cannot make up a missed regular quiz.
Current Directions Readings Quizzes: On the Tuesday prior to Exams 1, 2, and 3, there will be a fourquestion, multiple-choice quiz on the four Current Directions readings that were assigned for that exam
period. The final reading quiz will be on the Thursday of dead week. All readings quizzes will be closed
book. In addition, unlike regular quizzes in which discussion is encouraged, there will be no discussion
among students for readings quizzes. If you miss a readings quiz for a legitimate reason, contact the course
assistants or CIO within 48 hours.
Page 1 of 7
Dr. G. Wells & Dr. S. Madon, Psych. 280, Fall 2010
Research Credits: 12 points in research credits are required for this course and an additional 12 credits
can be gained for extra credit. There are two methods to obtain all of the research points: 1) participation in
research studies and/or 2) written essays to specific Current Directions readings or research articles.
Students who opt to obtain some or all of their research credits through the essays should note that,
beginning on September 7th one essay will be due each week with the very last essay due on November
30th. No essays will be accepted after November 30th. See the Lecture schedule for deadlines. Pages 6-8 of
this syllabus explain these credits in detail.
Grading: Exams allow a maximum total score of 224 (four exams: 50 multiple choice questions - worth one
point each, and two short-answer questions - worth 3 points each). Regular quizzes allow a maximum of 24
points (12 quizzes at 2 points each). Readings quizzes based on the Current Directions readings allow a
maximum of 16 points (four quizzes at 4 points each). Required research credits are another 12 points. The
number of points that you obtain out of the 276 possible points will be used to determine a grade distribution
that approximates ISU norms for 200-level courses (i.e., 15% As, 30% Bs, 40% Cs, 13% Ds, 2% Fs). Extra
credit (up to 12 points) will be added after the grade distribution is created. Starting about mid-semester,
you can access your scores on the WebCT Gold URL address: http://www.celt.iastate.edu/webct/ Research
credits earned through experiments are recorded in SONA and will be downloaded to WebCT during finals
week. Research credits earned through Current Directions essays will be updated on WebCT every few
weeks. E-mail the course assistants at psy280@iastate.edu (not the professors) regarding questions or
concerns about your scores1. Any problems with your scores should be addressed ASAP, not at the end of
the semester.
EXAM DATES:
Exam 1: Wednesday, September 15th (6:30 p.m.) Location TBA. Exam covers Chapters 1-4, plus all
lecture material.
Exam 2: Wednesday, October 13th (6:30 p.m.) Location TBA. Exam covers Chapters 5-7, plus SPA 3,
plus all lecture material since previous exam.
Exam 3: Wednesday, November 10th (6:30 p.m.) Location TBA. Exam covers Chapters 8-10, plus all
lecture material since previous exam.
Exam 4: During Exam week, December 13th – 17th. (Specific date, time, and location TBA when University
sets final exam schedule.) Exam covers chapters 11-13, plus SPA 1, plus all lecture material since
previous exam.
Comprehensive Final: (Same date as Exam 4, immediate hour after Exam 4). The comprehensive final is
taken only by those students who missed a previous exam and it covers the entire course; all chapters and
lectures.
If you know you are going to miss an exam date, contact the appropriate professor for that exam at least
two days prior to the exam. If you miss an exam date for unforeseen reasons, contact the professor at the
earliest possible time.
Disability: If you have a disability and require accommodations, please contact the instructor or the Course
Information Office early in the semester so that your learning needs may be appropriately met. You will need
to contact the Disability Resources (DR) office, located on the main floor of the Student Services Building,
Room 1076, 515-294-6624 to obtain a Student Academic Accommodation Request (SAAR) that describes
the needed accommodations. Students are responsible to make arrangements with the Course Information
Office (W004 Lago) before each exam for individual accommodations.
Academic Dishonesty: A student found guilty of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade for the
applicable assignment/test. In addition, academic dishonesty may lead to reprimand by the university,
conduct probation, or even suspension from the university.
1
It is the student’s responsibility to put the correct ID number and name on all exams, quizzes, and research
participation cards. Failure to do so can result in no credit for that quiz, exam, or research participation session.
Page 2 of 7
Dr. G. Wells & Dr. S. Madon, Psych. 280, Fall 2010
Tentative Lecture and Reading Schedule for Exam 1 (Wells)
Aug 24 Tue
Aug 26 Thur
Aug 31Tue
Sep 2 Thur
Sep 7 Tue
Sep 9 Thur
Sep 14 Tue
Sep 15 Wed
Introduction to the course: Why you should be interested in social psychology
The assumptions of social psychology and the empirical versus the intuitive.
Methods of research: Measurement, sampling, correlation
Methods and statistics: Causality, confoundings, interactions
The limited processor and rule-of-thumb thinking *First essay due
Mental heuristics (continued); rational attribution and attributional error
A/O differences; confusion about one’s own behavior Readings Quiz 1 (pp
23-43) *Second essay due
EXAM #1 Location TBA 6:30 PM
(Ch. 1)
(Ch. 1)
(Ch. 2)
(Ch. 2)
(Ch. 3)
(Ch. 4)
(Ch. 4)
Ch 1-4, and all
lecture to date
Sep 16 Thur
No class
* Applicable only to students who choose the essays option instead of the research participation option
Tentative Lecture and Reading Schedule for Exam 2 (Wells)
Sep 21 Tue
Sep 23 Thur
Sep 28 Tue
Sep 30 Thur
Oct 5 Tue
Oct 7 Thur
Oct 12 Tue**
Oct 13 WED
The inescapable self ; Culture and self; Illusions of the self *Third essay due
Consistency, balance, dissonance
Attitudes; do they predict behavior? Mindless persuasion *Fourth essay due
Special topic: Gender differences
Social psychology of the law *Fifth essay due
Social psychology in the law
Eyewitnesses Readings Quiz 2 (pp 8-17, 123-130) *Sixth essay due
EXAM #2 Location TBA 6:30 PM
Oct 14 Thur
No class
(Ch . 5)
(Ch. 6)
(Ch. 7)
(none)
SPA 3
SPA 3
SPA 3
Ch 5-7 + SPA 3
and all lecture
since Exam 1
* Applicable only to students who choose the essays option instead of the research participation option
**Course and instructor evaluations
Tentative Lecture and Reading Schedule for Exam 3 (Madon)
Oct 19 Tue
Oct 21 Thur
Oct 26 Tue
Oct 28 Thur
Nov 2 Tue
Nov 4 Thur
Nov 9 Tue
NOV 10 WED
Conformity and the power of reciprocation *Seventh essay due
Shaping behavior through commitment and consistency and scarcity
Shaping behavior through social proof and authority *Eighth essay due
Liking as interpersonal attraction
Close relationships *Ninth essay due
Group influence
Group influence Readings quiz 3 (pp 44-63) *Tenth essay due
Exam #3 Location TBA
(Ch. 8)
(Ch. 8)
(Ch. 8)
(Ch. 10)
(Ch. 10)
(Ch. 9)
(Ch. 9)
Ch 8-10 and all
lecture since
Exam 2
Nov 11 Thur
No class
* Applicable only to students who choose the essays option instead of the research participation option
Tentative Lecture and Reading Schedule for Exam 4 (Madon)
Nov 16 Tue
Nov 18 Thur
Nov 23-26
Nov 30 Tue
Dec 2 Thursday
Dec 7 Tue
Dec 9 Thur **
Dec 13-17
Stereotypes and prejudice and review of Exam 3 *Eleventh essay due
Helping behavior
No Classes – Thanksgiving Break
Helping behavior *Twelfth (last) essay due
Aggressive behavior
Aggressive behavior
Social psychology and health Readings Quiz 4 (pp 64-83)
Final exam (date and time set later by Registrar)
(Ch. 13)
(Ch. 11)
(Ch. 11)
(Ch. 12)
(Ch. 12)
SPA 1
Ch 11-13 +
SPA1 and all
lecture since
Exam 3
**Course and instructor evaluations
Page 3 of 7
Dr. G. Wells & Dr. S. Madon, Psych. 280, Fall 2010
A Message to Students
Our intention in this course is to enhance your ability to analyze human social thought and behavior. Minimally, you
should be able to consider the ways in which human social behavior is influenced heavily by errors in reasoning,
attitudes, prejudices, misconceptions, and temporary situational factors. We hope that you will learn to temper your
natural tendency to assume automatically that people’s behaviors reflect their inner dispositions, looking instead at the
possibility that their behaviors are a common reaction to their situation and that you would probably behave the same
way under these circumstances. It takes a skilled and knowledgeable observer to perceive and understand the
influence of these nearly invisible but powerful situational forces on social behavior. Your life is now, and will continue to
be, filled with thousands of social encounters of considerable significance. Whether you are trying to understand a
social issue, a friend, an enemy, a co-worker, a boss, an employee, a relative, a child, a lover, or yourself, there is no
escaping the fact that having a scientific understanding of social thought and social behavior is an advantage over your
lifetime. Given the goals that we have for this course, you can perhaps appreciate our enthusiasm for the student whose
goal is congruent with ours rather than merely having the goal of achieving a particular letter grade.
Procedures for Research Credits for Students in PSYCHOLOGY 280
There are two ways to obtain all 24 points of the Research Credits (12 points required; 12 extra credit): 1)
Research Participation (Option 1) and 2) essays (Option 2). You can do a mix of either option to get the 24 points. If you
choose to do the Research Participation method and you are under the age of 18, you must have written parental consent.
Written parental consent forms are available in the Course Information Office (Lago W004) or can be downloaded from the
Psychology Home Page (http://www.psychology.iastate.edu). Students can participate in research studies through the last day
of class, but are strongly encouraged to start early to ensure sufficient availability of studies. Essays are due each Tuesday
beginning on September 7th and ending on November 30th.
Option 1) Research Participation
Scientific studies are conducted each semester in the Department of Psychology. The professors in this course
encourage participation in these studies because participating in psychological research can be an educational experience
facilitating your understanding of social psychology. Participation is totally voluntary.
How do I sign-up for a research study?
All Psychology studies for Psych 101, 230, and 280 are listed on the Psychology Research Participation Website
(SONA), located at: https://isupsych.sona-systems.com. Your logon password for the website will be automatically created
based on the class roster. Shortly after the start of the semester, you should receive an email in your university email address
with your logon password information. Then, after you log onto the webpage, you can click the “my profile” option and change
your password.
If you do not receive an email with your Research Participation Logon Password by September 2, 2009, you should send
an email to psychres@iastate.edu so that an account can be created for you. When you send the email, please include your
first and last name, university student ID number, and university email address (NetID). SONA provides the study name and
number, a brief description of the study including time, place, and length of time required for participation, credit earned, and
the name(s) and phone number(s) of the researcher(s). When you sign up on SONA, you will automatically receive a
confirmation email with this information; some other studies may also send you a reminder email the day before your
appointment.
All approved studies are posted in the online registration system. Approved studies are conducted on the University
campus locations other than dormitories between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.; some studies may involve completing
online surveys. No deviations from these rules are authorized.
What can I do if I forget my password to the online research sign-up system?
To retrieve your lost or forgotten password, go to SONA at https://isupsych.sona-systems.com/. Underneath ‘Lost your
password?’ Click “Click here to retrieve it!” link, which will take you to: https://isupsych.sonasystems.com/lost_password.asp.
Enter your NetID (i.e., NetID@iastate.edu), then click ‘Email Password’ button. SONA will resend an email to your iastate
email account within the next hour that contains your password. For further information, please refer to:
http://www.psychology.iastate.edu/index.php?id=151
If you receive a message saying, "System Message: Password could not be sent. No user was found matching the
specified user ID." You will need to send your first and last name, course type (psychology 101, 230, or 280), and your Net ID
to psychres@iastate.edu so an account can be created for you. Once your SONA account has been established you will
receive an email to your iastate.edu account containing your password.
Can I sign up for a study more than once?
Typically, you are allowed to participate in each study only once. If you are allowed to participate more than once, the
researcher will let you know.
Page 4 of 7
Dr. G. Wells & Dr. S. Madon, Psych. 280, Fall 2010
What are my responsibilities once I sign up for a study?
Both you and the researcher are contracting to show up at the appointed time and place. BE ON TIME. By signing up, you
are indicating that you plan to participate in that specific study given the information that is available on the posting form. If you
are unable to make your appointment, cancel your participation on SONA or call the researcher or the Psychology Office (2941743) at least two hours beforehand. Prompt cancellation of an appointment will allow another student to sign up for the study.
What happens if I miss a scheduled research appointment?
If you do not show up for a scheduled research appointment, your failure to attend the session will be recorded in SONA,
and you will receive an e-mail message indicating that you have missed the appointment. After three missed appointments,
your access to SONA will be suspended and you will have to pursue the other credit options listed in this syllabus. Be sure to
check for deadlines associated with these alternative options.
If you know that you will be unable to attend a scheduled research appointment, you can cancel the appointment in the
online sign-up system up to two hours before the scheduled time of the appointment. If you cancel an appointment at least two
hours ahead of time, this will not be counted as a missed appointment in the system, and will not lead to a suspension of your
account.
What can I do if my SONA account is suspended?
If you believe that an error has been made and your account was suspended accidentally, please contact the SONA
administrator (psychres@iastate.edu). If your failure to appear was beyond your control, send an explanation to the
administrator, who may reinstate your account. Alternatively, you may want to consider the other credit options listed in the
syllabus to complete this assignment. Be sure to check for deadlines associated with these alternative options.
What should I do if a researcher does not show up for an appointment I scheduled?
If the researcher is unable to make a scheduled appointment, he or she should post a message telling you what you need
to do to get your credit. If the researcher does not show and there is no note, wait for 10 minutes past the scheduled time and
then immediately check SONA or your email confirmation, to see whether you have the correct date, time, and location. If all
the information is correct, go IMMEDIATELY to the Psychology Main Office in Lago W112 with this information, and complete
a Researcher No Show Form. If the study is in the evening or on the weekend, then go to the main office the NEXT WORK
DAY to complete the form. The form will be used to verify that there was a researcher no show and, once this is verified, you
will receive credit for the study. The verification process requires that the form be completed as soon as possible after the no
show occurs. Researcher No Show Forms WILL NOT be accepted more than 7 days after the scheduled appointment.
How long does a research appointment take?
The minimum appointment time for research studies is 50 minutes, although in some cases you may finish the study in
less time. The maximum length of time for each study is listed on the sign-up sheet. You earn 1 SONA credit for studies that
require 50 minutes or less, 2 SONA credits for studies that require between 60-90 minutes, and 3 SONA credits for studies
that require 90-120 minutes. Some studies may require multiple sessions that are spread across different days. Each SONA
credit is equal to two research credits in this class. Accordingly, to earn all of your required research credits, do 6 SONA
credits. To earn all of the additional extra credits, do another 6 SONA credits. Do not do more than 12 SONA credits!
What types of research studies are done?
There are many types of studies conducted in our department. For example, you might be asked to complete
questionnaires, to view slides or videos, to listen to music or conversations, to interact with others in a group, or to make
judgments on a computer. All studies are reviewed in advance by the Iowa State University Institutional Review Board.
How does a study get approved?
The study is first approved by the Department of Psychology Human Research Ethics Review Committee to determine
that no physical or psychological harm will result from the research and that the research is meaningful. After departmental
approval, the study is reviewed by the ISU Institutional Review Board. Most studies are open to all Psych
101, 230 and 280 students, but some restrict participation to subsets of students (e.g., females only or left-handed persons
only).
What should I do if I have a question about a specific study that I signed up for, such as its location, etc.?
If you signed up for the study on SONA, recheck SONA for that information. If you have questions not addressed on the
SONA website, you should get in touch with the contact person listed on the webpage. If you do not get a response from the
contact person, contact Ann Schmidt in the Psychology Department Office, W112 Lago, 294-1743.
If you were recruited for the study by telephone or e-mail, you should get in touch with the contact person. This person's
name, the study number, and a description of the study should also be on SONA.
What if I am contacted by someone in the Psychology Department who wants me to be in their study?
ONLY students who complete mass-testing questionnaires and indicate their willingness to be contacted may be called or
e-mailed and invited to participate in a study. The caller will provide his or her full name and phone number, the study number,
the experimenter's name, and the date, time, and location of the study. (This is important information, be sure to keep it.) You
are under no obligation to participate in a study just because you are contacted by phone. If you agree to participate, check
that an approved posting form with the same experimenter, study number, and location is posted on SONA before going to the
appointment.
If the study is not listed on SONA, do not keep the appointment and immediately notify the staff in the Psychology Office
(W112 or 294-1743). If you receive a call or get an email recruiting you for a study, and you did NOT participate in masstesting, you should immediately notify the staff in the Psychology Office (W112 or 294-1743).
Page 5 of 7
Dr. G. Wells & Dr. S. Madon, Psych. 280, Fall 2010
What is the last day that I can earn research credits?
The last day to participate in research studies (Option 1) is the Friday of dead week. Essays (Option 2) are due each
Tuesday September 7th through November 30th. Only one essay will be accepted at each due date.
How is research credit recorded?
All credit (except essay credits) will usually be posted on SONA by the researchers within 72 hours after the study. You
can click the “My Schedule and Credits” option to see your credits. After each study, researchers will give you a Research
Credit Receipt. If you do NOT receive credit within 72 hours after participation in a study, you should contact the researcher
directly to find out why. You may be asked to show your Receipt. You must keep the receipts in case there are any
discrepancies at the end of the semester with the number of credits assigned to you on SONA.
What if I have other questions?
Please ask the course information office.
Option 2) Essays
How do I complete the essay method?
Below is a list of articles from your Current Directions book and three research articles published in social psychology
journals. As a substitute to participating in research studies, you can write essays to any of these 12 articles . For the Current
Directions readings, write an essay in response to one of the three critical thinking questions for each article (listed at the back
of each article). For the research articles, write an essay that summarizes the purpose, method, findings, and conclusions of
the research. Each essay must be typed and double-spaced. Use either Times New Roman (12 point) or Arial (11 point) font.
Margins must be 1 inch all around. Each essay must be between 550-600 words in length (approximately 2 pages). Each
essay is equivalent to one SONA credit (i.e., two research points in this class). You can choose to write some essays and
participate in some experiments to obtain all of your required research participation and/or extra credit points. If you choose to
obtain all the 12 required research participation points through these essays, then you will need to turn in 6 essays. If you
choose to obtain all of the 12 extra credit points through these essays, then you will need to turn in an additional 6 essays.
Essays will only count as extra credit after the 6 required research credits have been completed (either through research
participation or essays or a combination). Do not turn in more than 12 essays. Please note that the essays are due on specific
dates (see Question 2 below).
When are the essays due?
Deadlines for the essays are included in the Tentative Lecture and Reading Schedule. The first deadline for turning in an
essay is September 7th, a Tuesday. The next essay is due on the following Tuesday. As can be seen in the lecture
schedule, beginning on September 7th, one essay is due every Tuesday through November 30th. Students can only turn
in ONE essay on a due date. If a student wishes to complete all 12 possible essay assignments (6 for required research points
and 6 for extra credit) they must turn in ONE essay at each deadline. These deadlines are instituted to allow us to be thorough
in our grading of these assignments. Essays must be turned in during class, E-mail attachments are not accepted. If you miss
a deadline, you can still participate in an experiment to obtain research points, but you may not turn in any essays late.
How are the essays graded?
Your score will be based on an all-or-nothing scale (you either get the 2 points or 0 points for each essay). Your score will
eventually appear on WebCT, but it can take a few weeks for any score to appear. A score of 0 points may be awarded if a
student did not reach the assigned word length, failed to meaningfully answer the question, or is suspected of plagiarism.
List of Current Directions readings for the Essay Method
1. Tesser. “On the Plasticity of Self-Defense.” pp. 3-7
2. Polivy and Herman. “The False-Hope Syndrome: Unfulfilled Expectations of Self-Change.” pp. 18-22
3. Fiske. “What We Know Now About Bias and Intergroup Conflict, the Problem of the Century” pp. 86-91
4. Solomon, et al. “Pride and Prejudice: Fear of Death and Social Behavior.” pp. 92-96
5. Herek. “The Psychology of Sexual Prejudice.” pp. 97-100
6. Contrada, et al. “Ethnicity-Related Sources of Stress and Their Effects on Well-Being.” pp. 101-105
7. Dovidio and Gaertner. “Reducing Prejudice: Combating Intergroup Biases.” pp. 106-110
8. Uchino, et al. “Social Support, Physiological Processes, and Health.” pp. 113-117
9. Cacioppo, et al. “The Anatomy of Loneliness.” pp. 118-122
*10. Hasel, L. E., & Wells, G. L. (2007). Catching the bad guy: Morphing composite faces helps. Law and Human
Behavior, 31, 193-208.
*11. Madon, S., Guyll, M., Spoth, R. L., & Willard, J. (2004). Self-fulfilling prophecies: The synergistic
accumulation of parents’ beliefs on children's drinking behavior. Psychological Science, 15, 837-845.
*12. Madon, et al. (2001). Ethnic and national stereotypes: The Princeton trilogy revisited and revised. Personality
and Social Psychology Bulletin, 27, 996-1010.
*These last 3 articles are not in the back of the textbook but can be accessed on WebCT
Page 6 of 7
Dr. G. Wells & Dr. S. Madon, Psych. 280, Fall 2010
Helpful Hints on How to Get the Most Out of This Course
ATTEND CLASS. Bright, highly motivated students who have superior study skills can learn alone most of what the
book presents to you -- enough to do quite well on exam questions that cover the textbook material. However, a
considerable amount of material that is not in the textbook will be presented during classes and a number of exam
questions will come from material presented exclusively in lectures. Research has shown that one of the best predictors
of grades in courses is class attendance, and even the brightest students gain more insight by attending classes
regularly.
STUDY CHAPTERS EARLY. Some lectures overlap with information in the book, but even for lecture material that is
not redundant with the book, you will learn best by reading/studying the assigned chapters by the date on which they
are indicated on the syllabus. Students who read the chapters prior to class will find it rewarding when the quiz
questions occur. We will assume in lectures that you have covered the assigned chapters, and hence will not focus
unnecessarily on terms/concepts that are well defined in the book. There will be exceptions to this because in some
lectures we choose to emphasize particular concepts that are covered in the book or we believe that the book does not
cover that material particularly well. However, lack of emphasis or coverage during lectures does not mean lack of
importance of material in the book. You should strive to complete assigned chapters on time and several days before an
exam. Studying early leaves much more time for resolving difficulties and reviewing the material -- repetition is a
fundamental principle of learning.
READ, STUDY, AND TAKE NOTES "ACTIVELY." Research shows that many individuals read and write passively,
that is, without thinking about the meaning of what they are covering. In reading and studying textbook material,
everyone (professors included) must read actively and as a result somewhat slowly. You must try to understand what
you are trying to learn within the framework of what you have already learned. Research shows that learning is much
more effective if new information is related to old information. Not only must you work on textbook material actively, but
you must also stay mentally active during class. Passively writing down what is on the overhead screen or what we say
in class without thinking about it -- about how it fits with previous material in earlier classes or earlier in that lecture -- will
not help you learn or understand the material. Rewrite your notes as soon after class as possible.
BEFORE BEGINNING A CHAPTER, ACTIVELY STUDY THE SUMMARY FIRST. Also, you should page through
the chapter reading headings and illustrations actively to gain a good general understanding of major themes and ideas.
These major ideas serve as part of the framework for you to organize the more detailed information if you are to gain a
good overall understanding.
OUTLINE EACH CHAPTER. By outline, we mean that you should take organized notes on the chapter as you go
through it the first time, just as though you were taking notes on a lecture. Research shows that taking good notes
requires active thinking and is much superior to helping you learn any material to underlining or highlighting text
material. If you take good notes on chapters, you should be able to study primarily from these notes without having to
reread text material. In the long run, that will save you time, particularly as you become more and more skilled (through
practice) at taking quality notes on text material. These notes and your lecture notes should be reviewed as many times
as feasible in preparation for each exam. Your textbook notes will also give you a manageable amount of material that
you can review in preparation for the comprehensive exam that covers the entire course in the event that you need to
take it.
ALTER YOUR EXPECTATIONS FOR STUDYING. Research consistently shows that college students greatly
underestimate the effort and time it takes to do a quality job of learning the new and complex material that is a part of
most of your courses. Academic experts generally agree that, for a typical three-semester hour course, spending about
9 hours per week outside of class working on learning is the norm for reasonable achievement. However, if the course
is particularly difficult or if your skills are not as great as the typical students', you will likely need to spend even more
than 9 hours per week to do well in the course.
KEEP THE BIG PICTURE IN MIND. Not only must you learn quite an amount of information that you might consider
rather detailed, but you should also strive to understand the broader themes and context at all times. Keep in mind what
you have learned in previous chapters and lectures. Themes work best when understood together rather than in
isolation. In fact, individuals who, after a course is completed, have gone back and reread the textbook, report
considerably greater understanding of material partly because the context has changed (e.g., they perceive chap. 2
differently after having studied chapters 3 and 4).
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, ASK THEM. Class time is not the appropriate time for individual specific questions
about text material that you are unclear about, although good questions that extend or broaden what you have learned
in the book or heard in lectures are strongly encouraged during classes. Such questions enrich class in general and are
strongly encouraged. For more detailed questions, seek us out after class, during office hours, or make an appointment.
IF YOU HAVE PROBLEMS, SEEK SOLUTIONS EARLY. For example, if you do poorly on an exam, see one of us
at that time (instead of later in the course). In addition, the Student Counseling Service (294-4357) exists to help
students, whether the source of a problem is personal or academic. The Office of information Service (294-4777) and
the Student Assistance Center (294-4357) are also important resources for students. If we can help you or point you in
the right direction, we certainly will, but you must ask for help first.
Page 7 of 7